A continuing problem which faces cigarette smokers is that ashtrays for disposal of ashes from a lighted cigarette and disposal of cigarette butts after the smoker is finished smoking the cigarette are not always readily available. This is a particular problem indoors where because of public and health authorities pressure to discourage smoking, many households and public places do not have ashtrays. Thus, those smokers who encounter such situations, or persist in smoking, or cannot overcome their addiction to cigarettes, face a continuing problem in disposing their ashes and cigarette butts.
Another problem is that lighted cigarettes represent a continuing fire hazard, both indoors and outdoors. Cigarettes which have not been extinguished have been known to be the cause of homes being destroyed by fire, including loss of lives, and brush and forest fires. Thus, there is a longstanding need for a lightweight, portable, readily available device which can readily, quickly and safely extinguish a cigarette.
Yet another continuing problem with smokers is that in many public places and vehicles such as airports, railway and bus stations, airplanes, trains and buses, cigarettes must be extinguished before the smoker is finished with the cigarette. Also, at dinners and the like, some people like to smoke before or during courses. Thus, large size cigarette butts must be discarded. It would be advantageous if such large size cigarette butts could be kept in good condition and relit at a subsequent convenient opportunity. This would represent a substantial saving because a fresh cigarette would not be required each time a smoker wished to smoke.
In the past, many innovators have invented or designed portable type ashtrays as a covenience to smokers. To date such portable ashtrays have not received widespread commercial or consummer acceptance due to a number of shortcomings inherent in the ashtrays that have been designed.
The inventor is aware of the following United States patents which disclose portable ashtrays of various designs:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ Des 101,312 H. E. Ridewood Sep. 22, 1936 2,113,745 V. M. Pyatt Apr. 12, 1938 2,536,302 L. Mertzel Jan. 3, 1951 2,715,961 W. R. Field Aug. 23, 1955 2,760,498 G. W. McVey Aug. 28, 1956 2,781,762 M. H. Mears Feb. 19, 1957 2,964,044 W. M. Bryan Dec. 13, 1960 3,107,674 G. A. Smith Oct. 22, 1963 3,375,832 L. E. McMichael Apr. 2, 1968 3,405,719 S. Lustbader Oct. 15, 1968 ______________________________________